Article aligning device



Patented Apr. 10, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTICLE ALIGNINGDEVICE. Kenneth J. Yost, Westport, Conn, assi'gnor to Remington ArmsCompany, Inc, Bridgeport, Conn., a c'orporation of Delaware ApplicationAugust 14, 1942; Serial No. 454,853 (c1. 198+32) 11 Claims.

The present invention relates in general to a mechanism forautomatically feeding and dis tributing articles, and, moreparticularly, to a device adapted to automatically orient and delivertubular articles in axial alignment from ahopper. V r 0 Although theorientation and delivering means shown herein illustrates one form ofthe invention' particularly useful in conjunction with means fordelivering closed end tubes in the process of manufacture into cartridgecases to a cartridge case trimming machine, it will be understood thatthe delivery meansmay have other applications and that modifications ofthe embodiment shown and described may be' made" without departing fromthe scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

It is an object of thisvinvention to provide a comparatively inexpensiveautomatic hopper feed having relatively few moving parts. A furtherobject is to provide an article orienting and delivering device havingconverging apertures provided-with article retarding surfaces and toprovide means for agitating thedevice while articles are being fed'thereto so that the articles will be shaken off the retarding surfacesand delivered from the device in axial alignment.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be setforth in detail in the following description. I

As now'practicedjcartridge cases are fed to case drawing, trimming andannealing machines by either one of two well knowniorms of .mechanicalhoppers, One such device is the so called'pin wheel hopper whichcomprises a rotating wheel having inwardly projecting pins adapted to bemoved through a mass of cartridge cases within a hopper, the cases beingpicked up on the ends of the pins and delivered closed end first inaxial alignment from the hopper. '{The second type is the so calledpaddle wheel hopper feed wherein a wheel having laterally projectingshelves or paddles is rotated within a-'-ho'pper. The cases are carriedupwardly on the shelves and deposited in axial alignment on a 'movingbelt which is adapted to convey the cases into engagement with suitablecam surfaces, the latter being designed to orient the cases and feedthem heavy end down into a feed tube.

While both of these automatic "hopper feed devices are being usedextensively they are, nevertheless, relatively expensive and embody manymovable parts which are subject to wear and breakdown, and have 'otherdisadvantages. H The following description and drawing illustrates oneembodiment of the present invention comprising a relatively inexpensivehopper feed means having no moving parts.

i In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration of the automatic hopper feed shellalignment deviceof this invention used in conjunction with a cartridgecase tube trimming machine.

Fig. 2 is anend elevation of the hopper feed agitating means, I e

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the hopper feed tray and shell aligningdevice.-

- I Fig. 4 is an elevation in section on line 4-4 of and 5. 1'

Fig. 7"is a perspective view of the lowermost cellular member. I I 3Referring to Fig. 1, the article or cartridge case aligning device isindicated generally by the'numeral I0 and is secured at its'upper end bya welded joint or other suitable fastening means to one end H of acartridge case supporting tray I2. The lower end of the aligning deviceis shown connected to the usual type of feed tube I00 which delivers thealigned cases directly to the oscillating sector l0| of a trimmingmachine, The latter is schematically represented as comprising a feedplunger I02 adapted to push cases onto the rotating mandrel I03,thecases being trimmed thereon by a cutter I04 and removed therefrom bya stripper I05. 'The tray,

is mounted at its opposite end I3 on suitable agitating means indicatedin general by numeral I4, the tray being inclined'at an angle indicatedat (a) with respect to the horizontal so that its end II is lower thanits opposite end I3 Immediately above the tray adjacent its end I 3is ahopper I5 fixedly supported with respect to the tray and provided with aconverging mouth adapted to deliver cases into the tray I2; the sides ofthe latter being extended upwardly as at l"! to prevent the cases fromfalling out.

Means for orienting-the casesin the tray comprises a relatively coursescreen adjacent the lower end II of the tray. This screen consists of aplurality of apertures I8, numbering nine holes in the embodiment shown,the diameter ofeach hole being somewhatgreater than the distancemeasured from the closed end of ,a cartridge case to the center ofgravity thereofand'consid'erably less than the distance from the centerof gravity of the case to its open end. In practice, the holes l8 aremade substantially one and one half inch in diameter which dimension isparticularly adapted for .50 caliber cases, the center of gravity ofwhich is substantially one inch and a quarter from its closed end. Itwill be understood, of course, that the size and relationship of theapertures in the screen may be varied in accordance with the size andshape of the articles or cases to be oriented thereby.

As the case slide down the tray towardsits apertured end ll, any casewhich approaches a hole [8 open end first will slide over the hole sincethe center of gravity of the case is outside of the hole. However, whenthe open end of the case has crossed over sufficiently and is supportedon the opposite edge of the hole so that the center of gravity of thecase fall within the hole, the case will then fall down into the holeheavy end first. It will be clear without further explanation that anycase which approaches a hole closed end first will readily fall into thehole with its heavy end down. Thus, all cases which slide down the trayl2 will be oriented and fall through the apertures I8 heavy end first.

In order to deliver the cases to the apertures l8 in a single layer aleveling-off bar I9 is mounted across the tray l2 between its aperturedend II and the hopper. the tray bottom at a height suificient to holdback any cases which may be riding or superposed on the bottom layer ofcases.

Suitable means are provided to supplement the force of gravity and togive the cases a more positive sliding movement and comprises theagitating means 14 which is of a type used extensively in the art.Briefly, the agitator comprises a frame 20 on which are fixedly mountedtwo parallel shafts 2!. These shafts are adapted to reciprocatinglysupport the inclined tray I2 to which purpose suitable brackets 22 arewelded or otherwise secured to the bottom of the tray, the bracketsbeing provided with bushings slidable on the shafts 2 I. The tray isreciprocated or agitated by means of a vertically oscillating arm 24pivotally connected at its upper end to a link 25, see Fig. 2, which isin turn pivotally connected at its opposite end to a lug 26 suitablyfixed on the bottom of the tray l2. The lower end of the vertical arm 24is keyed to a rotatably supported horizontal shaft 23 which isoscillated by a rotating cam 21 arranged to engage a cam follower 28carried by the shaft 23. A coil tension spring 29 is secured at one endto the arm 24 and its opposite end to the frame for maintaining the camfollower 28 in continuous engagement with the rotating cam 21. As thelatter rotates, an extremely short reciprocating stroke i transmitted tothe tray thus effectively agitating the cases supported therein.

As shown in Fig. 3, the screen apertures 18 in the end I l of the trayare arranged in three substantially parallel rows comprising three holesor apertures per row, each row of apertures being on the diagonal or atan angle of substantially 45 with respect to the longitudinal axis ofthe tray. The purpose of this construction is more fully describedbelow.

The cartridge case aligning device shown at In in Fig. 1 comprises acellular unit formed by assembling a plurality of individual cellularmembers in the relationship shown in detail in Figs. 4 and 5.

Three of these individual cellular members are substantially identical,one of which is indicated The bar I9 is supported above generally bynumeral 313 in Fig. 6. This cellular member comprises hollow rectangularsection 3| and 32 arranged in superposed relationship, the lower section32 being fixedly secured to the lower end of the upper section 3| by aweld joint 33 or other suitable fastening means.

The upper section M is shaped substantially like an inverted truncatedpyramid comprising converging front and rear faces and end walls, itsupper end having a rectangular opening 34 substantially equal in lengthto one of the rows of three apertures E8 in the tray I2, and in width tothe diameter of one of these apertures. A pair of bafile plates 35 areprovided adjacent the upper edge of the opening 34 for dividing theopening into separate apertures. These baflie plates are substantiallyparallel and are supported on edge in slots 3! cut in the front and backfaces of the section 3i, the plates 35 being suitably spaced so as toform three apertures 35 of sub stantially equal size corresponding insize to the apertures If! in the tray l2. As shown in Fig. 4, the baffleplates 3% are sufliciently longto extend continuously through three ofthe cells 33 when assembled together as hereinafter described.

The lower rectangular end 39 of the section 3i is provided at itsopposite ends with shoulders or substantially horizontal shelf-likesurfaces ii], see Fig. 6, which extend inwardly so as to define arestricted opening 42 in the lower end of the section 3| of suchdimensions as to permit the free passage of two cartridge cases. Wherethe unit is to be used for .50 caliber cases the opening 42 should besubstantially one and one eighth inches wide and two and one half incheslong.

The lower section 32 of the member 30 is shaped substantially as ahollow rectangular prism, the upper opening of the section 32corresponding to the restricted opening 42 of the upper section 3i. Athird baffle plate 36 is supported on edge in slots cut in the front andrear faces of section 32 adjacent the opening 42 and substantiallymidway of its length so as to divide the opening into two apertures idof substantially equal size which in the present embodiment aresubstantially one and one eighth inches square. The lower end 45 and thesection 32 is provided with shoulders or shelf-like surfaces as at 46adapted to form a single substantially square aperture 41.

The fourth cellular member, indicated in general by numeral 50 in Figs.4 and 5, is substantially similar to the above described cellular member30 but varies therefrom in the shape of its upper section 5|. Thesection 5! comprises an inverted hollow truncated triangular prismhaving converging end walls but front and back faces which aresubstantially parallel as distinguished from the converging faces of thesection 3! of the member 30. Suitable baffle plates 53 are secured inthe cellular member 51! in the manner above described so as to dividethe upper opening of the section 5| into three apertures 54 ofsubstantially equal size. In this case the plates 53 are only longenough to extend through the single cellular member 50. The lower end oropening of the section 5| is provided with she1flike sur faces 55 andsecured to the lower end of section 5| is the upper end of a lowersection 52 which is divided into two apertures 55 of substantially equalsize by a third ballie plate 53. The lower section 52 is in turnprovided with shelf-like surfaces 51 defining a single aperture 58coinciding with the mouth of the lowermost delivery mem-v ber. Thelatter, as indicated in Fig. 7, comprise from which one case will bedislodged and gain entrance down through the single aperture 41. The twocases falling after the leading case Will subsequentlyescape through theaperture '41, all three cases thus being delivered in axial alignmentfromthe member 30 and in the vertical are suitably joined together inface to face re- 1 lationship so as to form a cellular unit having ninerectilinearly converging apertures 35 in its upper section indirect-communication with six rectilinear apertures 44 in its lowersection. Suitable fastening means for joining the three cellular members30 may comprise transverse pins 60 inserted in holesin the ends of thebafile plates "36, the pins being adapted to engage the faces of thecellular members so as to prevent lateral disarrangement thereof.Further, the upper edges of the members 30 may be welded or otherwisesecured to the underside of the tray l2. It will be evident, as shown inFigs. 1 and 2, that in securing the cellular members 30 to the tray,these members areso oriented that the rectangular apertures'35 thereofcoincide with theapertures I8 of the tray or, in other words, thesubstantiallyvertical planes defined by the faces of the cellularmembers 30 are disposed at an angle of substantially 45 with respect to.the longitudinal axis of the tray. I

To the lower ends of the. sections 32 of the members 30 is welded theupper end or opening of section of the cellular member 50, the latterbeing so arranged with respect to the members that its front and rearfaces lie "in ,a vertical plane substantially at right angles to thevertical planes defined by the faces of the cellular members 30.

The lowermost cellular member 60 is welded or otherwise secured to thelower end of the member 50 in axial'alignment with its aperture 51.

In its assembled form; the unit l0 thus provides a plurality ofrectilinearly converging apertures which constitute paths of flight forthe cartridge cases, the latter being adapted to fall down through theapertures by theforce of gravity supplemented by the agitating motionimparted to the unit as above described. The axial alignment of thecases during their fiight may be described as follows:

Referring to Fig. 5, whenever three cases fall into-three apertures 35of one of the members 30,

the two outer cases will be momentarily stopped or retarded by strikingthe shelf-likesurfaces Ml while the center case will be momentarilysupported on the upper edge of the ballle plate 36.

By agitating the cellular member, the shelves 40 and bafile plate 36will in effect be displaced with respect to the cases due to therelatively great inertia of the latter and, consequently, at least twoof the three cases will be jockied into position over the restrictedopening 42 and will thereupon fall down through the two apertures 44 ofthe lower section 32. It will be noted that due 7 to the orientation ofthe cellular members 30 and with respect to the longitudinal axis of thetray [2 that the edges of the shelf-like surfaces 40, 46,

and 51, respectively, are arranged at substantially 45 with respect tothe direction of reciprocation or agitation thereof. By this arrangementdislodgment of the cases from all of the shelves is greatly facilitated.

In a similar manner, the two cases in the lower section 32 of thecellular member 38 will be momentarily retarded by the shelf-likesurfaces 46 lit plane defined by its faces.

'Since the function of the. two remaining cellular members 30 isidentical to that of the above described member 30, it will be evidentas shown inFig. 4 that three cases will be fed substantiallysimultaneously from the three apertures 41 downwardly between thebaflleplates 53 into the upper section 5| of the cellular member 50. Asthe cases continue their downward flight, the two outer cases will bemomentarily retarded by the shelflike surfaces 55 while the middle casewill be stoppedby the bafile plate 53. Continued agita-' tion of thecellular unit will dislodge two of these cases from the retardingsurfaces 55 and ballie plate 53. It will be observed that, due to the'arthe lowermost cellular member 60. In a similar manner, the cases fallingafter the leading case will be delivered out of the single dischargeaperture 6| of the member 60 in'axial alignmentwith the leading case.The cases may thereafter'be delivered heavy end down directly into afeed tube I00 secured to the lower end of the member 60 whereby thecases are fed to a cartridge case manufacturing machine such as thetrimming machine illustrated in Fig. 1.

What is claimed is:

1. An article aligning device comprising article supporting andorienting means; means for agitating said-supporting means; and means todischarge articles delivered into said orienting means from saidsupporting means comprising superposed guide members associated withsaid orienting means and agitated by said supporting means, said guidemembers being constructed and arranged to cause each article tomlove'vertically successively in two planes at substantially rightangles to eachother and to the plane of said supporting means. i

2. An article aligning device comprising article supporting andorienting means; means for agitatingsaid supporting means; means todischarge articles delivered from said orienting means comprisingsuperposed guide members associated 3. An article aligning devicecomprising article supporting and orienting means; means to agitate saidsupporting means; means to discharge articles delivered from saidorienting means comprising vertically disposed article guide membersconnected to said supporting means in communication with said orientingmeans, said guide members being agitated by said supporting means andembodying a series of article retarding elements spaced vertically insaid members to be engaged by said articles to cause each article tomove in a predetermined vertical plane; and a second series of articleretarding elements spaced vertically in said guide members to be engagedby said articles to move each article in a vertical plane atsubstantially right angles to the first vertical plane.

4. An article aligning device comprising article supporting andorienting means; means to agitate said supporting means; means todischarge articles delivered from said orienting means comprising aplurality of integrally connected superposed article guide membersagitated by said supporting means, each member having an articlereceiving aperture in communication with the article receiving apertureof an adjacent member; and article retarding elements extending intosaid apertures to cause each article to move in two vertical planeswhile passing down through said superposed guide members.

A a ti e a ing device comprising article supporting and orienting means;means for agitating said supporting means; and article guide meansassociated with said orienting means and agitated by said supportingmeans to discharge articles delivered by gravity from said orientingmeans in axial alignment, said guide means comprising a plurality ofrectilinearly converging superposed cellular members.

6. An article aligning device comprising article supporting andorienting means; means for agitating said supporting means; articleguide means associated with said orienting means and agitated by saidsupporting means to discharge articles delivered by gravity from saidorienting means in axial alignment, said guide means comprising aplurality of rectilinearly converging superposed cellular members; andarticle retarding means fixedly secured within said cellular members tocause each article to move in twovertical planes at substantially rightangles to each other.

'7. A device for aligning tubular articles com.- prising an inclinedarticle supporting tray having a plurality of article orientingapertures at one end thereof; means for agitating said tray; meansassociated with said tray for leveling off the tubular articles slidingtowards the apertures; article delivery means afiixed to and dependingsubstantially vertically from said tray to guide the tubular articlesdelivered by gravity from said apertures, said delivery means comprisinga cellular unit having vertical walls defining a plurality of individualsuperposed paths each in communication with the article orientingapertures of said supporting means; and a plurality of article retardingmeans extending from the walls defining said paths, said retarding meanscomprising bafile plates in the paths of articles falling through saidapertures to guide the free fall of the tubular articles whereby saidarticles are delivered from the cellular unit in axial alignment.

8. A device for aligning tubular articles comprising an inclined articlesupporting tray having a plurality of article orienting apertures at oneend thereof; means for agitating said tray; means associated with saidtra for leveling off the tubular articles sliding towards saidapertures; article delivery means affixed to and depending substantiallyvertically from. said tray to guide the tubular articles delivered bygravity from said apertures, said delivery means comprising a cellularunit embodying a plurality of superposed cellular members the uppermostcellular member having apertures equal in number to and concentric withthe apertures of said tray and the lowermost member having a singleaperture axially offset with respect to and in communication with theother apertures of said cellular members; and article retarding surfacesin said cellular members comprising wall portions of said members andbaffle plates transversely disposed within said cellular members in thepaths of tubular articles falling through said cellular members to guidesaid articles in axial alignment from said cellular unit.

9. Feeding means for delivering cartridges to the trimming means of acartridge case trimmin machine comprising an inclined cartridge casesupporting tray having a plurality of article orienting apertures; ahopper for feeding cases to said tray; means for agitating said traywhereby the cases are fed into said apertures heavy end first; and guidemeans agitated by said tray and in communication with said apertures todeliver cases in axial alignment to said trimming means, the delivermeans comprising a plurality of axially offset superposed tubularmembers to guide each case in two vertical planes while being deliveredto said trimming means.

10. Feeding means for delivering cartridges to the trimming means of acartridge case trimming machine comprising an inclined cartridge casesupporting tray having a plurality of article orienting apertures; ahopper for feeding cases to said tray; means for agitating said traywhereby the cases are fed into said apertures heavy end first; guidemeans agitated by said tray and in communication with said apertures todeliver cases in axial alignment to said trimming means, said deliverymeans comprising a plurality of axially offset superposed tubularmembers to guide each case to said trimming means; and article retardingsurfaces projecting from, the inner walls of said tubular memberscomprising baiile plates in the paths of articles falling through saidtubular members and disposed at substantially 45 to the direction ofreciprocation of said tray to cause each case to be dislodged from saidbafiles and guided through said tubular members in two vertical planesat substantially right angles to each other.

11. Feeding means to feed cartridges to a trimming machine comprising aninclined cartridge case supporting tray having a plurality of rows ofapertures adjacent one end thereof; a hopper for feeding cases to thetray; means for agitating the tray in a direction substantiall diagonalto the rows of apertures whereby the cases are fed into the aperturesheavy end first; cartridge case delivering means depending substantiallyvertically from said tray and agitated thereby for delivering the casesby gravity in axial alignment to the cartridge case trimming means, saiddelivery means comprising superposed rectilinear members havingapertures in communication with the rows of apertures in said tray; anda plurality of case retarding surfaces in the apertures of therectilinear members, said surfaces lying in vertical planes atsubstantially 45 with respect to the longitudinal axis of said tray iKENNETH J. YOST.

